Mexico City's residents and pooches take back the car-saturated streets

IN A CITY which would normally be a cyclist's nightmare the sight of pedestrians, first-time riders, rollerbladers and pets take to the street for Bicycle Sundays.

As one of the most populated and congested cities in the world Mexico City residents would normally have a hard time enjoying a day of bike-riding through the centre of the CBD.

Apart from a couple of hours each Sunday - that is - when the streets are closed off to cars, allowing free-reign for pedestrians, skateboarders, pets on leashes and bike-riders to enjoy everything the streets have to offer.

The tradition began five years ago and since then the city's residents turn out in the tens of thousands to enjoy these precious hours each week.

As do their pets, who, given the amount of traffic noise usually bombards their poor eardrums must see it as a welcome reprieve.